Hector Bellerin joins Barcelona on a free transfer after terminating his contract with Arsenal on deadline day.
Barcelona have confirmed the signing of Hector Bellerin on a free transfer from Arsenal. The right-back reportedly terminated his contract with the Gunners, where he had a year left. Bellerin signed a one-year deal at the Camp Nou as he will soon be presented as a Blaugrana player.
The Hector Bellerin saga is finally over, as the right-back re-signs with boyhood club Barcelona. The Spanish full-back returns to the Camp Nou 11 years after departing their academy.
Bellerin was expected to leave Arsenal throughout the summer. He was expected to leave permanently in 2021 but could only join Real Betis on a loan deal. The right-back had a terrific season with the La Liga side, helping them win the Copa Del Rey last season.
Betis were clear favourites to re-sign Bellerin during this window but complicated matters after refusing to pay Arsenal’s asking price. The Gunners even rejected a low offer from the Spanish side, who later urged Bellerin to terminate his contract with the club.
Once a Culer, always a Culer #MadeInLaMasia ?❤ pic.twitter.com/8fYEggvsOK
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) September 1, 2022
Bellerin and his representatives have been discussing the contract termination with Arsenal since the beginning of August but got nowhere near finding a solution. With the clock on the transfer window winding down, the Gunners were keen to save on his wages and were open to cancelling his contract.
As deadline day began, Betis were out of the picture, but Barcelona entered the frame to sign Bellerin. Talks progressed well throughout the day as Barcelona agreed with the right-back over a deal at Camp Nou.
Initial reports from the likes of David Ornstein insisted Arsenal had not terminated his contract but allowed him to join Barcelona on a free transfer. The official statement from the Blaugrana contradicts the same, while there’s no mention of a reported sell-on clause reportedly inserted by the Gunners.
Leaving those complications aside, Bellerin will ply his trade in Barcelona for the 2022-23 season after the right-back signed a one-year deal with the club. He has reportedly taken a massive pay cut to make a move happen.
Bellerin played 239 senior games for Arsenal in all competitions and was part of the squad that won three FA Cups. He will make a long-awaited return to Barcelona, where he was educated in the La Masia academy.
